Portable electric light.



B. TUBER.

PORTABLE ELECTRIC LIGHT.

APPLICATION FILED 111111.17, 1914.

Patented Mar. 23, 1915.

1111111, 'rl'llllr/Ifalll/l1111111/ .1HE MORRIS PETERS Co.. PHOTO-LlTHc., WASHINGTON. D, c

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BERNARD TAUBER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO IN TERSTATE ELECTRIC NOVELTY CO., 0F NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

PORTABLE ELECTRIC LIGHT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 23, 1915.

T0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, BERNARD TAUBER, a citizen of theUnited States, and a resident of New York city, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Portable Electric Lights, of which the following is a specification.

The invention pertains more particularly to improvements in the Aclass of electric lamps designed to be held in the hand and sometimes used as flash lights and at other times for affording a permanent light during the desired period; and the object of the invention is to provide a novel and efficient circuit closer or electric switch for a lamp of the class referred to.

The circuit closer of my invention comprises an exterior casing to be secured to the shell or general casing of the lamp, a contact spring concealed within the chamber of said casing, and a slide mounted on the casing and guided thereby and having within the casing means to engage the two side members of the closing spring and move said members to engage a contact conne( ted in the lamp circuit. The spring is preferably in one integral piece composing side members and a connecting end member, and preferably the side members of the spring have a normal tension from each other especially when pressed toward each other and the contact connected in the lamp circuit.

The means provided by me for engaging the side members of the spring may operate to positively move said side members toward and from the lamp contact, or said means may be utilized simply for forcing the sides of the spring toward each other and against said contact, the resiliency of said side members being depended on to, at the proper time, cause the movement of the members in a direction from each other and free of the contact post. When the slide is moved to force the members of the closing spring into operative position, said slide may be released from the pressure of the thumb or hand since it has no tendency to automatically return to its. inoperative position. The slide is adapted to be readily moved on the top of the casing by the pressure of the thumb by a person holding the lamp, and

hence said slide may be moved to complete the circuit or to break the circuit as quickly as may be desired, and likewise the slide when moved to a position to complete the circuit, may be left there so as to hold the circuit closed for any desired period.

The invention will be fully understood from the detailed description hereinafter presented, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portable electric light embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a horizontal section, on a larger scale, through a port-ion of the same, the section being taken on the dotted line 2k2 of Fig. l; Fig. 3 is a corresponding section through a portion of the same taken on the dotted line'3-3 of Fig. 1; Fig. l is a vertical section on an enlarged scale, through a portion ofthe same on the dotted line el-l of Fig. 1 Fig. 5 is a side elevation of a portion of the exterior casing of the lamp and showing the casing for the circuit closer spring in vertical section on the dotted line 5 5 of Fig. 4; the spring being shown in its inoperative position; Fig. 6 is a detached inner face View of the circuit-closer mechanism and its casing, the spring being shown in its operative position; Fig. 7 is an inner face View of a modified form of circuit closer embodying my invention; Fig. 8 is a vertical section through the same on the dotted line 8 8 of Fig. 7 Fig. 9 is a horizontal section through aportion of the same shown as mounted on a lamp taken on the dotted line 9-9 of Fig. 7; Fig. 10 is an inner face view of a further modified form of circuit-closer embodying my invention; Fig. 1l is a vertical section through the same on the dotted line ll-ll of Fig. l0 and shows a portion of the lamp casing or shell; Fig. l2 is a horizontal section through a. portion of the same taken on the dotted line 12v-l2 of Fig. l0, a portion of the lamp casing or shell being shown, and Fig. 13 is an inner face view, partly broken away, of a further modified construction of circuit-closer embodying my invention.

In the drawings, 15 designates the usual paper or fiber casing for the flash light, this fiash light customarily containing a battery, a lamp, a reflector therefor, a lens 16 closing the lamp end of the casing, and a.

metal cap 17 closing the other end of the casing, the lamp, reliector and battery being well-known features and therefore not illus-V tratedn the drawings. lNithin the casing l5 are two customary conductors or strips of metal 18, 19, the lower end of the conductor 19 being in electrical connection with the metal cap 17, as usual, and the upper end of the conductor 18 being in electrical connec tion with the lamp, as customary.

My invention does not pertain particularly to the details of the casing 15 and its contained parts, but to circuit closing means adapted at the proper time to place the conductors 18, 19 in electrical connection with each other and thereby complete the circuit elfecting the lighting of the lamp.

Upon the outer side of the casing 15 1 secure by rivets 20, 21, or otherwise, a sheet metal casing or escutcheon 22 which has a raised centrallongitudinal box-portion 23 within which is confined my circuit closing spring V24, said spring being placed on edge and of sheet metal and formed with two corresponding side members 25, 26 and an end connecting member 27. The spring 24 extends lengthwise ofthe chamber within the box-portion 23 of the casing 22 and its connecting end member 27 is preferably secured in one end of said casing by an integral lip 28 formed from the blank from which the casing 22 is constructed and turned over on the central portion of the end member 27 of the spring, as more clearly illustrated in Figs. 4 and 6. The side members 25, 26 of the spring 24 are intended to be moved, at their free ends, toward and from each other, and said members are curved or bowed outwardly from each other inwardly from their free ends,

as at 29, while at their free ends said sides 25, 26, are curved or bowed outwardly slightly from each other so as to form between them a pocket adapted to engage the opposite sides of a metal contact 30, shown by dotted lines in Fig. 6, held on the outer side of the casing 15 and secured by a rivet 31 to the conductor strip 18 (Fig. 2). The outwardly bowed portions 29 of the side members 25, 26 form cam surfaces for coaction with the'slide 32 mounted on the box-portion 23 of the casing 22. The slide 32 is preferably stamped up from sheet metal, and on its sides are formed two pairs of lips 33, 34 which are projected inwardly through guide slots 35 in the outer surface or vwall of the box-portion 23 of the casing 22. The lips 33 after having been passed inwardly through the slots 35 are bent inwardly and then outwardly, as shown in Fig. 3, so as to form loops freely passing-upon and conlining the side meinbers 25, 26 of the spring 24; said lips 33 being shown in their inoperative position in'.

Fig. 4 and in their operative position in Fig. 6, in which it will be seen that the lips have been slid upwardly with the slide 32 and moved upon the outwardly bowed or cam portions 29 of the side members 25, 26, with the result that said side members at their free ends become pressed toward each other and against the aforesaid contact 30. ril`he lips 34 after having been projected through the guide slots 35 are turned outwardly against the inner face of the boX- portion 23 so that they may, on the movement of the slide 32, slide along the slots 35 and serve to confine the slide 32 in firm position on said box-portion 23. r1`he lips 33 by engaging the side members of the spring 24 hold said members against the inner face of the box-portion 23, even though they do so without undue binding, and cooperate with the lips 34 in securing the slide 32 in position.

1 prefer to form the contact 30 from a small piece of sheet metal bent into U-sha-pe and secure the same to the conductor 18 by the rivet 31, but as will be seen from other parts of the specification, said contact may be in the form of a pin projecting from the conductor 18 through the casing 15 and into the chamber of the casing 22 in position to be engaged by the free ends of the side members of the spring 24.

It is very desirable that an entirely satisfactory engagement take place between the spring 24 and contact 30 when the slide 32 is pushed upwardly to effect that result, and it is equally important that upon the reverse movement of the slide 32 to extinguish the lamp, the said side members of the spring 24 quickly and completely recede from the contact 30. In the present instance when the slide 32 is in its normal inoperated position shown in Fig. 1, the lips 34 are at the lower ends of the slots 35 and the lips 33 are at the inwardly bowed portions of the side members of the spring 24, this being their position shown in Fig. 5, and when it is desired to complete the circuit, the slide 32 is pushed upwardly on the casing 22 and this results in the lips 33, 34 moving upwardly along the guiding slots 35 and in the lips 33 riding upon the outwardly bowed portions 29 of the spring 24 and thereby causing the upper free ends of the side members of said spring to positively and firmly close toward each other and against the Contact 30, with the result of eifectually completing the circuit through the lamp. A reverse motion of the slide 32 or downwardly on the casing 22 results in the lips 33, 34 moving downwardly along the slots 35 and in the lips 33, by reason of their loop formal tion, positively moving the side members 25, 26 of the spring 24 outwardly in a direction from the contact 30. 1 might omit those portions'of thelips 33 which pass along the inner sides of the side members 25, 26 of the spring 24 and allow said side members to spring outwardly under their own resiliency when the slide 32 is moved downwardly on the casing 22, but when I give the lips 33 the loop construction shown in Fig. 3, said lips coperating with the outwardly bowed or curved portions 29 of the spring serve as positive means to move the side members 25, 26 both inwardly and outwardly, therebv assuring under all circumstances the effectual action of the spring.

The Contact 30 is normally free of the casing or escutcheon 22, and hence when the side members of the spring 24 are in their inoperative or spread apart position, the electrical circuit between the conductors 18, 19 is broken; when, however, the slide 32 is moved upwardly and the side members 25, 26 of the spring close against the contact 30, the circuit is closed through the conductor 18, contact 30, spring 24, casing 22 and conductor 19, the latter being in electrical connection with the metal casing 22 through the eyelet or rivet 21.

rI`he preferred form of my invention is shown in Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive, but I do not desire to limit my invention to the special details shown in Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive since the parts of the closer may be modified in construction in several ways without departing from the spirit of my invention.' I. have, therefore, illustrated several modifications of the invention and will describe them. U

In Fig. 7 the slide 36 on the outer sideof the casing or escutcheon 22 is formed with lips 37 which extend through theslots 35 of the casing 22 and are turned inwardly toward each other for the purpose of holding the slide on the casing and also for the purpose of engaging a plate 38 which is confined within the box-portion of the casing 22 and moves with the slide 36. The plate 38 has, at its upper end, a flange 39 which is recessed, as at 40, to pass upon the side members 41, 42 of the closer spring 43; the walls of said recesses serving the same purpose, so far as operating the side meinbers of the spring is concerned. as the looped lips 33 of Fig. 3. Vhen the slide 36 is moved upwardly from its inoperated position shown in Figs. 7 and 8, the walls of the recesses 40 in the lange 39 move along the outwardly bowed portions of the spring and force its members toward each other and against a contact 45, which in this instance I show as a pin or rivet projecting inwardly through the casing 15 from the conductor 18.

The operation of the circuit closer shown in Figs. 7, 8, 9 will be readily understood from the detailed description given of the operation of the circuit closer shown in Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive.

In Figs. 10, 11, 12, I show the exterior slide 46 as having inwardly projecting lips 47 engaging an inner plate 48 at whose upper end is a slotted flange 49 through which the side members of the spring pass. In the construction shown in Figs. 10, 11, 12 the ends of the slot in the flange 49 serve when the slide 46 is pushed upwardly to force the side members of the spring 50 toward each other and against the contact 45, and when the slide 46 is moved downwardly the resiliency of the side members of the spring are relied upon to cause said side members to leave said contact 45. In the construction shown in Figs. 6 and 7 the side members of the closer spring are positively moved in both directions, while in the construction shown in Figs. 10, 11 and 12, the side members of the spring may be positively moved inwardly against the contact 45 but are not positively moved outwardly but only released to spring outwardly.

In the construction shown in Fig. 13 the slide on the outer side of the casing 22 is formed with lips 51 which project through the guiding slots in said casing and are then bent inwardly to tightly engage the lower ends of the side members of the closer spring 52, the spring 52 in this instance having a movement with the exterior thumb-pieceior slide. The side members of the spring 52 are bowed outwardly about their middle portions, and the inner sides of the boxportion 53 of the casing is provided with inwardly inclined projections 54 which are opposite to each other and co-act with the outwardly bowed portions of the side members of the spring 52 to force said members inwardly against the contact 55 when the exterior slide is moved upwardly to close the circuit. IVhen the exterior slide is moved downwardly the resiliency of the side members of the spring 52 causes said members to spread outwardly in a direction from each other and slide along the projections 54. The projections 54 serve as positive means for closing the side members of the spring against the contact 55` and in this instance instead of such positively acting means being on the slide itself and acting against the side members of a stationary spring, said means are stationary with the exterior casing and the side members of the spring are caused to slide against the same.

In all the forms of the invention illustrated in the drawings the circuit-closer comprises two substantiallv parallel side members confined within the chamber of their inclosing casing to be closed at their free ends toward each other and against the lamp circuit terminal contact, a manually operated slide on the exterior of said casing in engagement with the circuit closer, and means on the movement of said slide in one direction to force the free ends of said side members against said contact, said means in all of the figures, Vexcept Fig. .13, being carried by the vslide itself, with the spring held stationary, while in Fig. 13 said means are represented by the projections 5a which :torce the Vaforesaid side Vmembers against the contact on the movement of the slide carrying said members against said projections. rlhe lamp circuit terminal contact projects at right angles to the main shell of the flash light, and the members of the circuit closer spring have a lateral movement toward and from said contact and being formed of sheet metal or having broad fiat surfaces make an etcient electrical engagement with the sides of said contact.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

l. In an electric flash light of the class described having normally separated circuit terminals to be placed in electrical connection with each other to complete the circuit, circuit closing mechanism for electrically connecting said terminals comprising a chambered casing secured on the shell of the flash light and in electrical connection with one of said terminals, a contact extending from the other of said terminals into the chamber of said casing, a circuit-closer comprising two substantially parallel side-members conlined within the chamber of said casing to be closed at their reeends toward each other and against said contact, a manually operative slide kon the exterior of said casin g in engagement withV said circuitcloser, and means whereby the movement of Y saidslide in one direction 'forces the lree ends of said side-members againsty said contact.

2. In an electric iiash light of the` class detheiiash light and in-electrical connection with one or" said terminals, a contact eX- tending from the other of said terminals into the chamber of said casing, a circuitcloser comprising ltwo substantially parallel side-members conlined within the chamber ot said casing to be closed at their free ends tov-.fard each other and against said contact, a manually operative slide on the exterior of said casing in engagement with said oircuit-closer, and means whereby the movement ot said slide in one direction forces the free ends ot' said side members against said Contact, said side members being resilient and having a normal tendency to spring outwardly from said contact on the movement of said slide in the opposite direction.

3. In an electric flash light of the class described having normally separated circuit termina-1ste be placed in electrical connecigifaia'asi tion with each other to complete the circuit, circuit closing mechanism .for electrically connecting said terminals comprising a chambered casing secured on t ie shell ot' the liash light and in electrical connection with one of said terminals, a contact extending from the other of said terminals into the chamber of said casing, a circuit-closer comprising two substantially parallel side-members confined within the chamber of said casing to be closed at their free ends toward each other and against said contact, a manlially operative slide on the exterior Of'said casing in engagement with said circuitcloser, and means whereby the movement of said slide in one direction forcesthe free ends of said side-members against said contact and on the movement oi. saidslide in the opposite direction to torce said sidemember" frcm said crntact.

el. ln an electric flash lightot the class described having normally separated circuit terminals to beplaced in electrical connection with each other to complete the circuit, circuit closing mechanism for electrically connecting said terminals comprising `a chambered casing secured on the shell of the flash light and in electrical connection 'with one of said terminals, a contact extending trom the other of said terminals into the chamber of said casing, a circuit` closer comp 1ising two substantially parallelside-members conined within the chamber of said casing to be closed at their free ends toward each other and against said contact, a manually operative slide on the exterior of said casing in engagement with said circuit-closer, and means whereby the movement of said slide in one direction forces the free ends of said side members against said contact, Vsaid side-members being bowed in opposite directions intermediate their ends, and said means for forcing the tree ends of said side members against said cont-act being adapted to act against said bowed portions on the movement of said slide.`

in an electric iiash light of the class described having normally separated circuit terminals to be placed in electrical connection with eachother to complete the circuit, circuit closing mechanism` for electrically connecting said terminals comprising a chambered casing secured en the shell ot the iiash light and in electrical connection whereby the movement of said slide in one direction forces the .free ends of said sidemembers against said contact, said sidemembers being bowed in opposite directions intermediate their ends, and said means for forcing the free ends of said side members against said contact being adapted to act against said bowed portions on the movement oi' said slide.

6. In an electric iash light of the class described having normally separated circuit terminals to be placed in electrical connection with each other to complete the circuit, circuit closing mechanism for electrically connecting said terminals comprising a chambered casing secured on the shell of the flash light and in electrical connection with one of said terminals, a contact extending from the other of said terminals into the chamber of said casing, a circuit-closer comprising two substantially parallel side-meinbers coniined within the chamber of said casing to be closed at their free ends toward each other and against said contact, a manually operative slide on the exterior of said casing in engagement with said circuitcloser, and means whereby the movement of said slide in one direction forces the free ends of said side-members against said contact and on the movement of said slide in the opposite direction to force said sidemembers from said contact, said side-members being bowed in opposite directions intermediate their ends, and said means for forcing said members toward and from said contact being lips extending from said slide into said chamber and engaging opposite sides of said side-members adjacent to their bowed portions.

7. In an electric Hash light of the class described, having normally separated circuit terminals to be placed in electrical connection with each other to complete the circuit, circuit closing mechanism for electrically connecting said terminals comprising a chambered casing secured on the shell of the flash light and in electrical connection with one of said terminals, a contact extending from the other of said terminals into the chamber of said casing. a circuitcloser comprising two substantially parallel side-members confined within the chamber of said casing to be closed at their free ends toward each other and against said contact, a manually operative slide on the exterior of said casing in engagement with said circuit-closer, and means whereby the movement of said slide in one direction forces the free ends of said side-members against said contact and on the movement of said slide in the opposite direction to force said sidemembers from said contact` said side-members being bowed in opposite directions intermediate their ends, and said means for forcing said members toward and from said contact being connected with said slide and engaging opposite sides of said side members adjacent to their bowed portions.

S. In an electric flash light of the class described having normally separated circuit terminals to be placed in electrical connection with each other to complete the circuit, circuit closing mechanism for electrically connecting said terminals comprising a chambered casing secured on the shell of the flash light and in electrical connection with one of said terminals, a contact extending from the other of said terminals into the chamber of said casing, a circuit-closer comprising a laterally movable sheet metal spring member arranged on edge and held at one end and free at the other end and conined within the chamber otl said casing, a manually operated slide on the exterior of said casing in engagement with said spring member, and means whereby the movement of said slide in one direction forces the side face of the free end of said spring laterally against the side of said contact.

9. In an electric flash light of the class described having normally separated circuit terminals to be placed in electrical connection with each other to complete the circuit, circuit closing mechanism for electrically connecting said terminals comprising a chambered casing secured on the shell of the flash light and in electrical connection with one of said terminals. a contact extending from the other of said terminals into the chamber of said casing, a circuit-closer comprising a laterally movable sheet metal sprinfr member arranged on edge and held at one end and free at the other end and confined within the chamber of said casing, manually Operated slide on the exterior of said casing in engagement with said spring member, and means whereby7 the movement of said slide in one direction forces the side face of the free end ot' said spring laterally against the side of said contact. said spring member having a normal tendency to spring outwardly from said circuit contact on the movement of said slide in the opposite direction.

l0. In an electric flash light of the class described having normally separated circuit terminals to be placed in electrical connection with each other to complete the circuit, circuit closing mechanism for electrically connecting said terminals comprising a chambered casing secured on the shell of the fiash light and in electrical connection with one of said terminals, a contact extending from the other of said terminals into the chamber of said casing, a circuitcloser comprising a laterally movable sheet metal spring member arranged on edge and held at one end and free at the other end and confined within the chamber of said easing, a manually operated slide on the eentact and movement of said slide in the Witnesses:

exterior of said casing in engagement with Signed Yat; New Yerk city, in the county 'Ifnvement ef Sfaid slide n One dirCOII 15th day of April A D' 1914!.. orces the side ace of the free ende said l y y spring laterally against the'side of said NARD TAUBER' opposite direction forcesv sad'sprng 'mem- 'ARTHUR MARION, be; frein said Contact. C Has. Gun.

Copies o! this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Co'rrnmissioner of Patents,

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